Jose Mourinho looks to bring in safe pair of hands

Jose Mourinho is considering bringing goalkeeper Diego Lopez with him from Real Madrid to Chelsea to provide stronger back-up to first-choice Petr Cech next season.

Mourinho stunned Spanish football by picking Lopez ahead of Iker Casillas for the second half of the campaign.

The decision caused a lot of friction in the dressing room and Lopez is believed to want to quit the club now that Mourinho is leaving and expected to join the Blues early next month.

Chelsea have had a problem regarding their second and third-choice keepers ever since Carlo Cudicini joined Tottenham in 2009.

Current duo Hilario and Ross Turnbull have struggled and are out of contract this summer. However, the club are considering offering Turnbull an extension despite him making just 19 appearances in four years.

Chelsea also have Belgium international Thibaut Courtois, who has been on loan for two seasons at Atletico Madrid, but don’t want to waste his talent by leaving him on the bench.

At the age of 37 and having not played for the Blues since August 2011, Hilario’s future is less secure and Mourinho is tempted to bring in Lopez instead.

The 31-year-old has impressed in goal for Real despite the furore surrounding his selection and played in their run to the Champions League semi-finals.

That experience would provide reassuring cover should Cech get injured or suspended. As one of Mourinho’s few allies during the latter stages of his reign, Real would welcome offers for his signature.

Meanwhile, former Italy international Marco Materazzi says he wants to become Mourinho’s assistant at Stamford Bridge.

The Portuguese enjoyed a close bond with Materazzi during his time in charge of Inter Milan, which ended with the Italian club winning the treble, including the Champions League in his final season in 2010.

Memorably they were both pictured crying as Mourinho left the San Siro for the last time before joining Real. When asked about speculation he has been approached about becoming Mourinho’s No2, Materazzi said: “I’d love to, it’d be a dream! I’d be working with the No1, so what could be better?”